Calcutta VC advises students to refrain from politics

University of Calcutta's interim Vice Chancellor Sugata Marjit on Thursday asked students to refrain from politics and called for a ban on student agitations including strikes and 'gherao' (confinement) of teachers.

Marjit, whose tenure as the interim VC ended on Thursday, asserted "students will not gain much from politics" and asked them to put their "prime focus on studies rather than politics".

"First study and become good students. If you study well every offence can be pardoned," he said.

"Resorting to pressure tactics, confining professors and strikes should be banned," said Marjit who was in April heckled during a students' agitation in the varsity.

In March, Calcutta University students agitated demanding rescheduling of examinations after the West Bengal assembly polls. But Marjit refused to relent and the exams were held on the scheduled dates.

In January this year, Jadvapur University Vice Chancellor Suranjan Das had to remain confined for more than a day in his office when a section of students agitated demanding conduct of the students' union election in April.

The Vice Chancellor of the Presidency University, Anuradha Lohia, too fell victim to such aggressive student agitation last year in August when she was confined for almost 26 hours by students who alleged they were manhandled by Trinamool Congress cadres during Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's visit to the campus.

--IANS

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